What does an athletic trainer do?
An athletic trainer is a healthcare professional who works under the supervision of a physician and specializes in the assessment, treatment, rehabilitation, and prevention of injuries and illnesses related to physical activity, whether emergency, acute, or chronic.

Sports Physicals

When are sports physicals?
Sports physicals typically take place one evening in the first week of June. The date will be announced in early May.

Is there a make-up date for sports physicals?
No.

How long is a sports physical valid?
A sports physical is valid from the date the doctor signs it (no earlier than June 1) until the following May 31.

Can I use the sports physical for another required physical?

11th-grade physical – Yes. The athletic trainer copies all 11th-graders’ sports physicals for the school nurse.

Learner’s permit – If the student had the physical at the school, the team physician will sign the form. Please provide at least one week’s notice.

Camp/non-school activity – Ask the athletic trainer for a copy. If the student had the physical at the school, the team physician will sign the form if a copy of the sports physical is not sufficient. Please provide at least one week’s notice.

Physical forms and information are distributed to 6th-grade classes in May.

Can I use a different form?
No. PIAA requires all student-athletes to use the CIPPE form.

What is a re-certification?

CIPPE Section 7 Parent/Guardian Re-certification Form

Required for all athletes whose sports physical took place on or after June 1 but earlier than six weeks prior to the start of the winter or spring sports season.

CIPPE Section 8 Doctor Re-certification Form

Only required for athletes who see an outside healthcare provider for an injury or illness occurring after the sports physical but prior to the start of the subsequent sports season.

When do I need a re-certification?
No earlier than six weeks prior to the official start of the winter or spring season.

What if I cannot afford a sports physical?
Contact the head athletic trainer.

Injuries

What happens if I get injured?
If you sustain an injury, report it to the athletic trainer immediately. The athletic trainer will evaluate the injury and determine a treatment plan, either with the CV sports medicine staff or through an outside healthcare provider.
If you see an outside healthcare provider, you will need to bring a note to the athletic trainer from that provider, which includes the diagnosis, treatment plan, activity restrictions, and/or clearance to resume activity.
Final clearance to return to activity comes from the athletic trainers and the team physician.

Does the school pay for sports injuries?
Conestoga Valley School District provides supplemental insurance for all athletes, which costs $10 of the extra-curricular participation fee. The supplemental insurance is an accident policy and is secondary to the student-athlete’s primary medical insurance; coverage is not guaranteed.

How do I make an insurance claim?
If the injury requires a referral to an outside healthcare provider, the athletic trainer will contact the student-athlete’s parent/guardian and ask if they would like the claim form. The athletic trainer will complete the school’s portion of the form and then forward it to the parent/guardian. You must submit the claim form to the supplemental insurance company within 90 days of the injury.

What is the return-to-play policy following a musculoskeletal injury?
The athlete must have full range of motion and strength >90% compared to the opposite side. The athletic trainer will perform a functional evaluation to ensure that the athlete is able to do all sport-specific actions related to the athlete’s sport and position.
If the athlete saw an outside healthcare provider, the athlete must also turn in a note from that provider that clears the athlete to return to activity. Final clearance, however, comes from the athletic trainers and the team physician.

What is the return-to-play policy following a concussion?
When the athlete has had no symptoms for 24 hours, has a normal physical examination, and has scores within baseline on the ImPACT test, the athlete will begin a supervised, step-wise return to activity. If no symptoms return, the athlete will progress one step per day, only when an athletic trainer is available to supervise. If any symptoms return, activity is suspended until all symptoms resolve; then, activity resumes at the step previous to the one that caused symptoms.

Step 1 – light aerobic activity

Step 2 – moderate aerobic activity and light sport-specific exercise

Step 3 – controlled practice (non-contact drills, conditioning)

Step 4 – full practice and weight-lifting

Step 5 – competition

The team physician has final authority to release an athlete to return to play following a concussion.

What is the ImPACT test?ImPACT stands for Immediate Post-concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing. The test measures short-term learning, short-term memory, and reaction time. It is an objective measure of an athlete’s cognitive functioning; the test alone does not determine if an athlete has a concussion.
Athletes in contact and collision sports take a baseline test in 7th and 10th grades, or whenever they first join the team. If an athlete sustains a head injury, the athletic trainer administers a post-injury test and compares the scores to the baseline. If no baseline data is available, the scores are compared to national normative data.